Well, I survived Saturday clinic, just barely...

[Aristus]

Not without wishing mightily to be able to drop-kick a set of parents bringing their kids in for exams. The kids were fine; angels, both of them. They weren't the problem.

The parents were a couple of these religious fanatics who think immunizations are a government plot to poison their kids. I tried as politely as I could to explain that the issue was not merely whether their kids would get sick, but whether, unimmunized, they would infect someone else's kids. The father raised his voice and told me it wasn't open for discussion. Fair enough, regardless of his putrid religious beliefs. But he accused me of "siding with the government" to poison his kids.

After I examined the son, the father took him out, and the mother watched as I examined her daughter. The mother seemed pretty nice, and less crazy than her husband. I feel sad that such perfectly wonderful children should have such perfectly idiotic parents. :grr:

[Tobin S.]

1. My fiance and I are considering having a child after we get married

We are both on board now, but it took me a lot longer to come around to the idea than it took Jen. Having a child just seems like an amazing amount of responsibility and commitment to me and I wasn't sure about it for a while. I really had to think things through. Not only are you responsible for a child's basic needs like food, housing, clothing, health care, and such, which can be difficult enough if you are not financially prepared; you are also responsible for the child's psychological development and education, and you have to do what is within your power to raise a good person.

It seems to me that too many people have children without thinking those kinds of things through; without understanding that they don't have the skills to be a good parent. I was raised badly and I paid dearly for it when I became a teenager and through early adulthood. When in marriage counseling with Jen's priest, he told us that the way we raise our children will often coincide with the way we were raised. I think I am more aware of my inner workings than that. I told him that I learned from my parents alright- I learned how not to raise a child.

[Aristus]

2. I have a feeling you will make a very good parent, Tobin.

Very good. Your future kids will be lucky to have you. Simply being conscientious of such things will give you a leg up over anyone who fails to understand the huge moral responsibility children are.

Bring your kids to me for their care. I'd be honored...

[Tobin S.]

3. Thank you.

:)

[lunatica]

9. I think you'll be an excellent parent just because of what you feel now

You will obviously not follow in your parents footsteps. You've truly learned how not to parent when you question these things.

The unexamined life is not worth living. ~ Socrates, in Plato, Dialogues, Apology
Greek philosopher in Athens (469 BC - 399 BC)

[LeftishBrit]

4. Oh no! Poor kids!

[davsand]

5. I can't imagine the guilt of not immunizing and then watching my kid get sick.

The idea of the public health threat to other kids is probably not gonna get through to somebody so close minded that they resist immunizing their own kids, however.

Seems to me that the job of parenting is rife with opportunities for guilt. Adding to that by not immunizing your kids just boggles my mind. Hell, I feel bad enough that my 14 year old has less than perfect eating habits, without other even more pressing health issues. I figure if she's eating green stuff (which she does) and if I can get her to choose something other than pizza or burgers for lunch (which she does) I'm maybe ahead of the curve. Even that still doesn't make me feel great, however, so I console myself with the thought that we have TRIED, at least. She knows better...

I've seen a lot of dysfunctional families over the years, and my guess is that in the medical arena you will probably see even more than everybody else does. I'm sorry. I'm sure it is painful. Ultimately, I guess it all comes down to something our family doc told us the day our daughter was born: "Thankfully, these kids are WAY more sturdy than we think they are."


Best to you!


Laura

[quakerboy]

7. I am sure thats exactly what they are thinking

only from the opposite side, not wanting to imagine the guilt of potential harm caused by immunizations. Which may be completely scientifically unfounded, but people believe it nonetheless.

[Aristus]

8. It is unfounded. There is no scientifically verifiable correlation between

immunizations and autism.

None.

But, f*****g Jenny McCarthy got a bee between her boobs about it, and all of a sudden, people whose mentality never gets beyond Penthouse Forum are making really bad decisions about their kids' health... :mad::grr::mad::grr:

[quakerboy]

10. All sorts of people get all sorts of things in their minds

and then stick to them like complete nutballs in the face of overwhelming proof otherwise.

[IggleDoer]

6. Early in my career, I treated a child with whooping cough.

Damn near died.

When I asked the mom why she didn't immunize the kid, she replied, "Well, when we were kids we remembered how much these shots hurt. We vowed never to hurt our child like that.".

My response was, "imagine the pain you could have avoided in this hospitalization, if only you hadn't ignored your responsibility."

[Odin2005]

11. Sadly there are lots of DUers who would defend these morans.

[sakabatou]

12. IMO, anti-vaccers are idiots.